Beauty and Organization for the Budget-Conscious Girl

My “Ten Minutes Tops” Makeup Routine for Going to Class

Sadly, summer is coming to a close. Not only do we have just over a month left of the season on our calendars, but for all of us who are going back to school, the end is even closer. I only have until the 26th of August myself (Five days!!). With this in mind, I’ve set out to develop a quick routine for my early mornings or when I “accidentally” hit snooze too many times. When I’m going to class, I like to look presentable. I feel like I come across as more prepared and/or professional when it appears as if I’ve put a little thought into how I look (Honestly, though, I rarely feel professional or prepared. Fake it ’till you make it, right?). However, sometimes I get carried away in the mornings and try to do too much, which only makes me even more late. I’m chronically late, if I’m being honest with myself. So this makeup routine is going to solve all those problems. Ok, some of those problems. It’s quick, looks put together, and will still allow me to have enough time in the mornings to grab that cup of coffee before flying out the door. And the best part? It will only take ten minutes. Tops.

Coincidentally, this routine also has ten steps. That wasn’t planned. Honest.

1. Apply a Primer. (I’ve decided to forgo foundation for my everyday makeup this semester. I understand that some people may not feel they can do that, so of course add in your foundation here if you like!) The Maybelline primer ($10) I have not only helps makeup stay on longer, but also helps to blur blemishes. Perfect for light coverage in a quick routine!

2. Conceal the Under Eyes. Late nights studying (or binge-watching Netflix, if we’re being real) can leave eyes looking very tired, so it’s absolutely necessary to dab concealer on them. I like to use NYX’s dark circle concealer($6).

3. Conceal Any Blemishes. You know, the occasional pimple. The redness around your nose that just won’t go away… I also use concealer on my eyelids to hide veins and help prime them for eyeshadow. I’m using Covergirl’s Smoothers concealer ($7) here.

4. Apply Powder. I like to use e.l.f.’s Tone Correcting Powder ($3) because it does just what it says it does: corrects skin tone problems.

5. Apply a warm, skin-toned blush to your cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin (optional). I use NYX’s baked blush ($7) in “Sugar Mama” as a light bronzer. I don’t own any actual bronzer, nor do I plan on getting one anytime soon. I’m on a budget, so a lovely baked blush will have to do! It works quite well too, so it’s not a bad trick if I do say so myself. The package also says it is an illuminator + bronzer. Score!

6. Actual Blush (also optional, I suppose). I think the best kind of blush for everyday wear is one that’s more natural looking, like Clinique’s blush pop ($22) in “Melon Pop.” I also like to use NYX HD blush ($7) in “Soft spoken.” For me, it’s essential to have that little bit of color on my cheeks in order to look put together and fab. *insert sassy hand emoji girl here*

8. Apply Mascara. Don’t skip the mascara, ever! Comb those lashes out, curl ’em, and swipe on your mascara of choice. My favorite right now is itCosmetics Hello Lashes Extensions. I also like to use Maybelline’s Lash Sensational mascara ($9).

9. The Eyebrows (optional). Get those brows on fleek! Only if you want to, though. I use NYX’s Automatic Eyebrow Pencil ($5) to quickly fill my brows in and comb them through. This is a new skill for me, one I’m still perfecting.

10. The Finishing Touches. Spritz some setting spray (e.l.f., $3) all over your face to protect your makeup from the inevitable face rubbing or stress tears that may happen during your day attending class. Don’t miss a spot. If you want, swipe on a nice tinted lip balm or subtle lip color. My favorites right now are the NYX butter balm ($4) in “Brownie” and e.l.f. jumbo lip gloss stick ($2) in “Pink Umbrella.” It will make you look even more like you totally woke up on time and were without a doubt on top of everything that morning.

Now you’re ready for class and you didn’t waste time! I lied a teensy bit earlier, though. The best part about this routine is not that it takes ten minutes. The best part is that takes anywhere from 6-10 minutes, so it can actually be quicker! Great, right? I promise it won’t take any longer than ten minutes, though. Unless of course you’re so tired that you fall asleep while doing your makeup. I can’t really help you there.

I hope that this post helped you develop a quick morning makeup routine! I have some cool news, too. I’m working on a collaboration with my awesome friend Abby Faith. She has a youtube channel (here) where she also talks about makeup and other great things as well. We’ll have a video out sometime within the next week all about preparing for school and creating easy routines and staying organized. So, if you guys want to see how this makeup routine looks on me, watch for the video because you’ll see it on there. In the meantime, visit her channel and give her some love!

Hey, I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Awards because I think your blog is awesome and that other people should check it out!
You can read more about it on my blog (it’s my latest post right now but if I post something else it should be pretty easy to find!)
I definitely recommend getting involved because it’s a great way to get involved in the blogging community and make friends 🙂 x